Laurence Jones

Tina Britt “You’re Absolutely Right” (Eastern 605, 1965)

Tina Britt “You’re Absolutely Right” (Eastern 605, 1965) Speaking of Josephine Armstead’s partnership with Ashford & Simpson, one of the direct benefactors of their efforts was 26 year old Tina Britt. The Florida native found herself in New York recording a version of “The Real Thing.” That effervescent example of how Ashford, Simpson and Armstead…

Deena Johnson (Josephine Armstead) “The Breaking Point” (Wild Deuce 1004, 1965)

Deena Johnson (Josephine Armstead) “The Breaking Point” (Wild Deuce 1004, 1965) I‘ll have you know, I think the pinnacle of 1960’s soul happened in 1965. Following this assertion, I think some of the finest female soul records were released that year too. So as we get to the heart of the Half Century Past that…

Lou Johnson “Park Avenue” (Big Hill 554-B, 1965)

Lou Johnson “Park Avenue” (Big Hill 554-B, 1965) Lou Johnson was perhaps the perfect African American vocalist to hand this chugging and charming aspiring capitalist dream to. Given that he had the vocal capabilities, but not necessarily the chart successes to back up his talents, this soaring ode to unlocking the key to Mainstream American…

The Temptations “Who You Gonna Run To?” (From the LP Gettin’ Ready, 1966)

The Temptations “Who You Gonna Run To?” (From the LP Gettin’ Ready, 1966) I guess I should be ashamed of myself that it’s been so many months I’ve been doing posts and I haven’t tempted y’all with some more Temptations yet. Also, I totally breezed by in a cold medicine stupor that it was the original…

Della Reese “Solitary Woman” (ABC 10841-B, 1966)

Della Reese “Solitary Woman” (ABC 10841-B, 1966) In between the days of Dinah Washington and Dionne Warwick, there spans the remarkable career of Delloreese Early, someone that you definitely know better as Della Reese. In age she’s the perfect generation gap between two transition periods of African American Femme Fatales of song, and today, we…

Lena Horne “Sand and the Sea” (United Artists 911, 1966)

Lena Horne “Sand and the Sea” (United Artists 911, 1966) It wouldn’t be smart of me to ignore that it’s also Lena Horne’s Birthday as well. The Goddess of Screen, Stage and Song was born 98 years ago in Bed-Stuy, and from there became a pacesetter in the world of entertainment, going places few women of…

Florence Ballard “Forever Faithful” (ABC 11144-B, 1968)

Florence Ballard “Forever Faithful” (ABC 11144-B, 1968) Had she not been like, “I’m not doing this singing thing on my own,” there’d never be the complex, rich history of The Supremes. Perhaps Diana Ross *might* have become a singer, but it’s the plucky Florence Ballard that got The Supremes off the ground as The Primettes….

Little Eva “The Trouble With Boys” (Dimension 1013-B, 1963)

Little Eva “The Trouble With Boys” (Dimension 1013-B, 1963) She got sadly pigeon-holed by a runaway freight train of a #1 hit. Despite the fact that she got pegged like Dee Dee Sharp as a dance ditty queen worthy of increasingly ridiculous dance records, Eva Narcissus Boyd tallied up a long career of singles throughout…

Brenda Holloway “A Favor For A Girl (With A Lovesick Heart)” (From the LP Every Little Bit Hurts, 1964)

Brenda Holloway “A Favor For A Girl (With A Lovesick Heart)” (From the LP Every Little Bit Hurts, 1964) It’s Summer Solstice, and on the longest day of the year we say goodbye to Gemini Roll Call for this year. We end it on the highest note with Motown’s Queen of The Basement Brenda Holloway….

The Crystals “Then He Kissed Me” (Philles 115, Pop #6, 1963)

The Crystals “Then He Kissed Me” (Philles 115, Pop #6, 1963) Gemini Roll Call is in the final stages of the year. We’ve got a few more signature soul singers to cover and we start the final hours with one that climbed the wall of sound and managed to survive the collapse of it. La…